No two days in property management look the same. Between days putting out proverbial fires and full days at the computer contract-writing, there’s little room for routine. But like everyone, we do what we can to take back control of our days, prevent the “fires” where we can, and make it home before dinner. That being said, come spend a day with me at Realvest Property Management.
6:00 am
Before the workday even starts, I have to move my body. It helps to get the juices flowing and get my mind in the right place. Sometimes it’s just a long walk in the park. This morning, it was an indoor cycling class.
7:00 am
Coffee in hand, I do a quick get-ready, make breakfast, and get the animals squared away for the day. Before I leave the house, I do a scan of my emails to make sure I’m not walking into any emergencies.
8:00 am
I’ve made it to the office. First things first, check emails. I like to start my day by getting my inbox to zero. This is also the time to return any non-emergency calls that came in after hours. We have an admin who handles most company calls, but any that come into my direct extension are my responsibility. Sometimes this part of my day takes 10 minutes, sometimes it takes an hour. Today it was on the longer side as we near the end of the month, with questions about move-ins and move-outs.
9:00 am
With everyone tended to, I’m on my way out to a vacant post-moveout property walkthrough. I expect to spend about an hour and a half to two hours on these, because our security deposit disposition depends on the thoroughness of this report. I’m checking for cleanliness, damages, unreported maintenance issues, changed air filters (you wouldn’t believe how many moveouts we do where all of the air filters for the year are left unused), proper landscaping and lawn maintenance, and no missing items (yes, people have taken cabinet handles with them). I’m taking both pictures and videos and making notes of any work that will need to be done to get it rent-ready.
11:00 am
I’m back at the office prepping for an owner meeting. We’ve talked on the phone a couple of times, and they seem excited to work with us, but we’re having one last in-person meeting before they sign a contract with us. This will allow us both to put faces to names and give them the opportunity to ask any final burning questions.
11:15 am
Taking a minute here to eat a quick lunch. I tend to snack throughout the day, but I try to take some time in the middle of the day to eat uninterrupted.
11:45 am
It’s time to prep the conference room: furniture where it should be, no junk lying around, start the coffee pot, pick up any trash. Our conference room was designed to feel like a living space. Our team spends a lot of collaborative time in there, so sometimes it needs a little tidying before outside people come in.
12:00 pm
Owner meeting time! We talk about how maintenance is handled, when and how they can expect their distributions, and what is included in our tenant selection criteria. By the end of the meeting, they are feeling confident in their decision and fill out our owner intake form.
12:30 pm
Now that I have a completed owner intake form, I can get the management contract written up. I make sure each part of their contract is tailored to them. Once it is ready to go, I send it off for electronic signatures and cross my fingers.
1:00 pm
I got a call mid-contract about an AC that is not working. Living in Texas, this is a much bigger deal than it might be in other parts of the country. One wrong move in this situation and you’ve lost your tenants’ trust forever. I create a work order to send off and give the vendor a call to let them know I sent over an urgent request. After talking with the vendor, I gave the tenant another call to follow up and let them know someone should be out to help them by the end of the day.
1:30 pm
As I mentioned, nearing the end of the month means move-ins and move-outs. I’m spending some time here following up with any tenants moving out to remind them about final expectations and how to hand off keys. Tenants moving in are getting reminders about utilities, first month’s rent, and how move-in day will work. I’m scheduling time on my calendar over the next couple of days to complete move-in walkthroughs to document the condition of the properties prior to new tenants moving in.
2:30 pm
It’s time for my second inbox zero of the day. I’m working through any emails that came in since this morning. Checking my email twice a day gave me a lot of freedom in not being controlled by my email. I check it once in the morning and once in the evening. Everyone gets a response within a matter of hours, and I get my time back.
3:00 pm
I’m taking a few minutes to clean up my desk and my office before I head out for the day. Being able to start the next day with a clean office makes a huge difference in mindset. I’m heading home to reset and recharge before evening activities.
3:30 pm
I like to take a quick 20-minute walk in the afternoon to break up the day. This doesn’t always work in the heat of the summer, but today it’s perfect walking weather. I make a quick loop around the park next to my house just to breathe in some fresh air and reset my mind and body. In a high-demand job with a lot of unpredictability, taking time for self-care is imperative. Going too many days without small moments like this is a really good way to meet my old friend, Burnout.
4:30 pm
After I freshen up, I’m packing snacks and water to head out for a couple of mid-lease walkthroughs. These typically happen in the evenings or on weekends for those tenants who work a 9-5 job and can’t be home to meet me during the workday. I could easily do this walkthrough without them present, but I like to take the opportunity to show face with them and reestablish rapport. Even something as small as helping them figure out how to reset a GFCI in person reminds them that I am not their enemy.
6:00 pm
I’m back home and ready for some R&R, but I’m going to take a few minutes to set up Tomorrow Taylor for success. I review my calendar and set priorities for the day. As long as I know what absolutely needs to happen tomorrow, I can plan around the rest of the noise.
Property management rarely starts and ends at the same time every day. This day didn’t have too many unexpected interruptions or emergencies, but that’s no indication of what tomorrow might hold. We can be somewhat prepared depending on the season and the weather, but some issues come when and where you least expect them.
We, as property managers, have specific survival skills that carry us from day to day: adaptability and people skills. Each day could include 100 small things or a few big ones, but the common threads amongst them all are problem-solving, relationship-building, and protecting properties. A day in the life of a property manager isn’t about the hours you work; it’s about the impact you make in each interaction.
